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,(ModeL) R. W. GRAY.

CORSET.

INY: N TIER.

Patented Sept. 27, 1881.

XVI-masses,

N PETERS. Phnm-Limn nyher. Washillnlon. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. GRAY, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEO. FROST, GEO. H. PHELPS, AND GEO. A. FROST, ALL OF NEWTON, MASS.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,497, dated September 27, 1881.

Application filed March 16,1881. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT W. GRAY, of Boston, county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Corsets, of which the following description. in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention in corsets relates toimprovements in what are known as shoulder-brace corsets,and has forits object such aconst-ruction thereof, as will be hereinafter described, whereby the corset is made more effective as a shoulder-brace, and whereby the breast portion or front of the corset is relieved from strain or pressure, tending to drawit in against the person or the natural breast. This result is obtained by, and my invention consistsin, securing both ends of the shoulder-strap to the back section and uniting the back and front sections through the side section with a gap, slit, or space between the upper edges of the two, all as hereinafter specified and claimed.

Figure 1 represents in perspective one half of a corset containing my invention, and Fig. 2 is a diagram of the back and side section.

The back A is stitched to the side section, B, of the frontof the corset by the line ofstitching a, there being between the arm-size c of the part A and the upper portion of the side section, B, an open space, d, or gap extended downwardly below the arm-size corner on of the back section, A, which permits the breast portion of the corset composed of the upper parts of B O D to swell outward to conform to the shape of the natural breast.

The shoulder-brace E, of usual shape,is connected with the top of the backA by the usual elastic webbing 6, while the webbing 0 connected with the front end of the strap, is engaged with the buckle g, attached to the back of the corset below the arm-size and at the rear of the slit or space dbetween the back and the side section, B. Attaching the front end of the shoulder-strap in this way, only to the back of the corset, enables the strap to be tightened or drawn to hold the shoulders back firmly, and that without producing any strain upon the front or breast covering portion of the corset, which would tend to pull it in unduly toward the person or to the discomfort of the wearer of the corset.

in some instances I may desire to prevent the top of the front of the corset, or breast portion thereof, dropping too much, as it might do owing to the slit or opening d, and to this end I may connect the eyeleted portion h of the shoulder-strap with the eyelet i of the part B by a loop or ribbon or string 1.

The front and breast portions may be shaped or stiffened in any usual manner common to corsets.

I claim In a corset, the back section, A, and a shoulder-brace, E, having both its ends attached to the back section combined with the side section, B, having space d. intervening between the back and side sections below the corner at of the said back section, as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' ROBERT W. GRAY.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, ARTHUR REYNOLDS. 

